Alan Pardew hailed Papiss Demba Cisse’s “dream debut” and predicted the new Toon No.9 will be a huge hit.

Substitute Cisse, a £9million signing from German club Freiburg, scored a stunning winner after his Senegal team-mate Demba Ba scored Newcastle’s first. It was the first game for the deadly duo (left) since returning from a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

Toon boss Pardew said: “It was a great goal. He is the right age for that jersey. He looked a threat and his goal was special. It lifted the roof off the place. Not bad on his weak foot!

“If you wear No.9 here you need a good start.

That goal makes the shirt a bit lighter. His all-round performance will have had fans nudging their mates saying ‘we have got a good one here’.

“Papiss wants to get in behind and Ba wants to come short. They will compliment each other. We are talking about a honed player, not a novice.

“It is a big investment for the club. But I am spending fans’ money here, who pay to come to the stadium. I want to spend it well.”